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Study shows travel to popular Spring Break destinations down from 2015

Published on : Monday, March 7, 2016

With Spring Break nearing, Americans will be relieved to learn that 2016 Spring Break may be a less expensive endeavor for travelers than it was last year. Expedia released its analysis of Spring Break trends, which revealed that average air ticket prices to many top Spring Break destinations are down year-over-year (YoY). For last-minute bookers, the availability of good Spring Break deals is particularly welcome news.

“There are any number of factors that impact Spring Break pricing – the price of oil, demand, weather, you name it,” said Sarah Gavin, Expedia travel expert. “The good news is that all of these factors, collectively, seem to be pushing prices down. There are good deals to be had. And better deals to be had to major US cities, Hawaii and internationally if you take one simple step: book your hotel and your flight at the exact same time. Bundling your hotel and flight can yield hundreds in savings that disappear if booked separately.”

Spring Break Data: Top Destinations, Top Deals

Domestically, four of the five most popular Spring Break destinations (defined as markets that show higher demand this spring versus the rest of the year) are in Florida. The following list shows the difference in flight prices this year versus last:

•

Orlando

-14%

•

Miami

-14%

•

Phoenix

-2%

•

Fort Lauderdale

-17%

•

Tampa

-9%

Internationally, the five most popular Spring Break destinations, with flight price fluctuations, are:

•

Cancun

-14%

•

Punta Cana

-6%

•

San Juan

-15%

•

San Jose del Cabo

+1%

•

Puerto Vallarta

-10%

On the whole, the average daily rates (ADRs) of Puerto Rico hotels are down more than 5% YoY. New Orleans, Riviera Maya and Miami are also showing lower ADRs, down in the low single digits as a percentage. Panama City ADRs show savings of more than 15% this year, while Aruba hotel rates are down more than 10%.

For college seniors looking for less traditional destinations, the following markets represent Spring Break options that are growing quickly in popularity – defined as markets that have shown a particularly strong rise in bookings compared to 2015. Hotel rates in the following markets are:

•

Lake Tahoe

-110%

•

Paradise Island, Bahamas

-45%

•

Orange County

-35%

•

Portland, Oregon

-35%

•

Seattle

-30%

•

San Diego

-25%

For family Spring Break, big-city options such as New York, Chicago, and Washington DC, and sunny destinations such as Honolulu or Kahului, are expected to offer flight savings between 8% and 18% versus 2015.